Senate bans federal funds for national testing

Human Events, May 8, 1998

On April 22, by a vote of 52 to 47, the Senate adopted an amendment by Sen. John Ashcroft (R.-Mo.) preventing the use of federal funds for national education testing unless Congress specifically authorizes otherwise.

Last fall, Ashcroft blocked an effort by the Clinton Administration to mandate federal tests, by successfully securing a one-year moratorium. The April 22 amendment would enact a permanent ban on all federalized development or administration of national education tests.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D.-N.M.) argued that the Ashcroft amendment should be set aside while the National Academy of Sciences continues its effort, commenced after the testing battle last November, to make current state tests and private national tests comparable to each other.

However, conservatives remained stalwart in opposing any concession to national testing that could give rise to a national curriculum and consequent federal control of local schools.

"The Senate now recognizes," Ashcroft said, "the Clinton testing plan as a direct assault on the authority of parents, school boards and communities. This legislation is a clear message to the administration that it will not succeed in handing new power over community schools to Washington bureaucrats."

At the present time, 48 states either have or are developing state standards and 45 already have testing systems in place. In light of this evidence of the states' assuming responsibility, Ashcroft argued, "there is absolutely no justification for a federal takeover of testing."

A majority agreed, and the Ashcroft amendment passed by a five-vote margin.

A "yes" vote is a vote to ban federal funding for national education testing unless Congress specifically approves legislation to the contrary. A "no" vote is a vote against the amendment.

FOR THE AMENDMENT: 52

REPUBLICANS FOR (51): Abraham, Allard, Ashcroft, Bennett, Bond, Brownback, Burns, Campbell, Chafee, Coats, Cochran, Collins, Coverdell, Craig, DeWine, Domenici, Enzi, Faircloth, Frist, Gorton, Gramm, Grams, Grassley, Gregg, Hagel, Hatch, Hutchinson (Ark.), Hutchison (Tex.), Inhofe, Kempthorne, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Mack, McCain, McConnell, Murkowski, Nickles, Roberts, Roth, Santorum, Sessions, Shelby, Smith (Ore.), Smith (N.H.), Snowe, Stevens, Thomas, Thompson, Thurmond and Warner.

DEMOCRATS FOR (1): Feingold.

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT: 47

REPUBLICANS AGAINST (3): D'Amato, Jeffords and Specter.

DEMOCRATS AGAINST (44): Akaka, Baucus, Biden, Bingaman, Boxer, Breaux, Bryan, Bumpers, Byrd, Cleland, Conrad, Daschle, Dodd, Dorgan, Durbin, Feinstein, Ford, Glenn, Graham, Harkin, Hollings, Inouye, Johnson, Kennedy, Kerrey (Neb.), Kerry (Mass.), Kohl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mikulski, Moseley-Braun, Moynihan, Murray, Reed (R.I.), Reid (Nev.), Robb, Rockefeller, Sarbanes, Torricelli, Wellstone and Wyden.

NOT VOTING (1): Helms.